Coupling organization for rods and like elements



H. A. SNYDER Jan. 22, 1935.

COUPLING ORGANIZATION FOR RODS AND LIKE ELEMENTS Filed May 15, 1953 Patented Jan. 22, 1935 Q UP ING ORGANIZATION iron irons :77. invention relates to improvements in couplingorganizations for rods and likerelements. Qne field or use towhich this imp oved type oi -coupling isgespeciallywell adapted is, its application' ;tothe-joints of suckerrods for deep pum i m y'a s .be' usedas' a couplin for line Shafts in the transmission; of power; for; thermore, it is applicable to tension'rods all kinds of structural work; its, use i is practically unlimited-inthe eoupling of rods-which are ara ed gin-longitudinal; alignment, regardless of the ty e of; structure in which-the rods are employed; and itis pointed out that this organization; is equally well adaptedto resist both "a lonitud-inallyapplied strainand a torsionally apnlied's raim. ;'f I g V v Reference is hereby made to my o e-pending applicationfierial:Nor 651,141, filed January; ll, 11933.; tor} Coupling-oiganizationsfor rods. r The construetion of my improved coupling organization is-clearlyshownin the accompanying drawings %I:;;.-Bl;iefl-y stated this couplin Or anization,. consists oizthetworod-ends to be coupled, and a third-member termed.- the -retaining sleere, or the aligning member, either of] which tennis is. suit-, able The-fiunctioni-of this third member, is, pri ma-rily to cause :and thereafter to maintain the alignment of the coupled members and to lock themjn their coupled relation, 7 i. p

In the equipment I f a rod with my improved coupling yorganizatiom; it is desirable to. so proportion the elementsof the coupling that it will withstand, without-distortion, at least as much -.longituclinal or torsional strainasthe body of the rod will-withstand; and in some cases; this ife;- quires that the diameter-oi the coupling elements must be increased as compared with the diam- ;eter of the rod to whichthe joint is applied; as illustrated in the drawing, rods having a diameter eofiseven-eighths-oi inch, are equipped with a couplin in co amae w th mri r n v idea, and in orderto-produce acoupling that will with- .stand-r anlongitudinal stress ofat least 50,000 pounds without vdistortion-the immediate ends of-the rods areenlarged or upset, such upsetting is not, however;.-required in all cases, beyond what-is necessary to form a threaded feature of one oi the coupled ends,. or a suitable tapered .area'without producing consequent weakness,

improved coupling organization is clearly illustrated the accompanying drawing in Fig, 1 is an. elevationoi tworod ends in'their cpupled-relation-in which the aligning member, or retaining sleeueis shown in longitudinal section. Fig. isian endvview of the adjacent endof ria i J. .Fig.;3-is

ail-Jennies hi. the a jacent end of LIKE ELEMENTS v v A, Snyder; Franklin, ia

' """Ap plication Maul 5' 1933 SerialiNa fitliilgtii part oi said gap and may be} assembled; therein'to r'i m at emb a slqwet mm has c Rig. sis, anelevation o fyth gap end or lower n Q e1 e r m erh V 5 i an e t on. Slim 2. 1 31 and 2 1. 9 end 9i t l w ri-membsr-i-r Fig, 6isa transversasection on: linev V I- V1 5 of fig L- 3M1. H .i V .Fig.v 7 is,a transversese F9 the s e s i isttstioa he l e lnemhe'rsin lfigs- 6 and! areno v etion lined. The" constructionshown thedrawing issubs'tantiallyasfollowsi H l l 1 This jieour'iling organization k it members namely, a rod end; a rod 7 end 2 and a i n n mus u s smfi rfi- M mbe men h ma hs; sai or m ne memberiis Pr ew-w h sense when ex end l iwei a i th siet iathe evp i ll ie saidj apar ld s sd at an' utwardly-dive gi 1w a h e h a daajq zath xr Said W lls are fornied into the semblance of the strueturewhichislmQWn in the artof gear malr J fi Q9Il$ $l4 =Q J l d ti i vdgi h? in er ens re-saunas nds? h need not'haven the true. geantoothor raelc orm generally ascribed to these features' fthe ernl e s'b i .h us drane eef-w d me a applied to a} form; of hanieal construction t s ne all am iath m c i al fie d also-heingone 'of suitable application in thepres Li Li v, 1:1; I [I Member 2, which is, ermedthe ower cr ter on member, isprdvided with} a te non, '1 which, espe cially' in respect to said racklieatures, isa counter.-

5 in theicoupling positionv by hei 18laterally inserted; the width of said tenont is somewhat less than the diameterfot thefgap member atitslower,

smaller are; thus producing the clearance- C, as will be clearly seen by an inspection of .Figs, 6 and c7 l the purpose of this particular yariance in dimensions will be presently pointed out; said tenonpmernbelirzradjaeent the. gap features is provided with .aa cylindrical portion- 8 of uniform diameter, whichistermed thealigning'section.

The lower end ofthe rod endhpreviously to the formation ofthe gap '1 therein, is,fjormed into v a downwardly cony erging taper the included angle of, which is approximately five-eighthsg oi an .-inch a diameter whichis slightly greater-,than the diameter ofthe adjaeent section 8, pi member 2,.

I w ll e new th t t or n; on t e sap l4 imparts to :the walls; 9 hupon each-i side thereof thesemhlanoe of jaws; I v

bo e a e n 4 nd fl ws, nemh lri 1 dupp nndQ s id sleeie -p 1; h.

The conformation nde eleti e;diameterso 9 It is furthermore works, for the passa from the well.

said tapered portions of member 1 and the corthe adjacent counterpart periphery of the jaws of said gap, whereby said jaws?!) are caused tofirmly grip the contacting faces of tenon 7 which oc cupies said gap 4; this gripping action, together with a close fit of the adjacent portion of the bore. of sleeve 3 with the peripheryof section 8 of mem-,

ber 2, produces a perfectly aligned andvery rigid joint in which there is no relative interplayof th c p d mem s- It is now ponited out that the reason for mak- P 81 116 diameterof section8'of member '2-somewhat less than the diameter of the adjacent end of section 1 whereby the cl'earanceC isproduced, is to insure the condition thatnone' of the cornpressive actionof the internal walls of sleeve 3 will be inerre'ctuany exertedaipon' tenon 7,,thus preventing their effectual compressive, action upon sl eri e ypi e-i l ws nt c am ib a il u trate a at. sa tompressiv action, is exerted upon the'periph'ery' ofsaid 'jaws, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7; and; furthermore, the construction ofgallpf the joint members is such thatwhenj'saidsleeve is being screwed up to its service position no "longitudinally directed force is exerted by said sleeveupon the tenon member '7, as such aro q pmdtena to separate the weight sustaining'face's of the lands ofthe gap. and the tenon, and. wouldfso separate them to afsuflicientdegree that; when the weight of the coupled rods ofja well wereexerted upon the joint their weight wouldbe such as to causea, re-seating ofsaid weight-sustaining faces and a consequent looseness in the jpint which looseness would rapidlyincrease in the pumping operation 3 1' ,q u w i v,. 1K

t t mes outthat said I H tween the lowerportidn of: sleeve Band thefperiphery'of'section'tiissufiiciently close as to form at'thispoint, ajoint' that is impervious ftothe entrance of fluid, fine silt or any element which might tend to decrease the efiicie'ncyof-or promote wear between any of the-internal members or features'of the jointff' Whenfthi's coupling organization is applied to sucker rods, sleeve 3, upon 'itsperiphery, is provided with longitudinally disposed grooves'l2, for the purpose ofprovidingagreater area of space between the periphery of said sleeve and the adjacent wall of the tubing in which the sucker rod ge of fluid as it is pumped Wrench-flats as 13 are milled uponfthe' lower end of said sleeve *for engagement with a wrench for securing 'said'sleeve in itsservice position.

Wrench-flats are also provided at 14 upon member 1 for the application of a wrench when said 'lsleeve-is being actuated into its service position.

rod are severed, said sleeve may be readily slipped off and remdvedfromeitherf'of saidendsywere it not so removable, it would be the cause of cons'iderable trouble and inconvenience in finishing 1 and machiningthe rod endsfas-well as in their handling, storage and equipment} and'a likelihood of damage and distortion to the sleevefitself,

In the specification and claims where the terms upper, lower are used in respect to the relative positions of sections 1 and 2, it should be understood that these terms ;relate to; the drawing merely, and are not'intended mappiy to the organization, when in actual use, wherein it may be 'relatively inverted, instead of being positioned as illustrated 1 In many classes of service, the threads and 11 of this form coupling organization may be dispensed withespecially where the organization is disposed in an inverted, horizontal or any intermediate inclination, as compared with the positionshown in the drawing; among such classes of service maybe mentioned the ,stay-rods in aeroplanes and like structures and insome classes of architectural workjfinsome-cases where said threads are omitted,' it"rnay lie-found desirable to apply fapthin coat Iof red orf-white'lead to the peripheries and cooperating features andfaces of the 'joint hiernbersbefore 1 the sleeve is applied to ts rvi g qsi bh: 1'

\"II claimithefollowing'z' l. A coupling organization -for rods and like elements consisting in} combination of members which are providedfwith cooperating coupling-features, namely,*tw'o* ends"to -b'e coupled and a sleeve adapted'tobepositioned over the coupled j'oint so as to rnaintain {said other two' elements in coupledrelation one" of said ends being provided with an external screw thread positioned in spaced relation toitsf coupling extremityjalso with a gap extending j longitudinally "thereinto, the portion of said e'nd intermediate said thread and said extremity *b'eing' formed into a downwardly converging taper: the" other ofsaid ends having a diameter which is slightly smaller than tlifextrjemity of said first mentioned end formed intoa oounterparttenon for lateral insertion into and occupancy of gap,- the contacting walls of said gap and 'saidtenon being each provided with a series "of lands and grooves for interengage ment'soas to withstand strains longitudinally exertedupon the coupled" joint, the walls of the bore of said sleeve being in "close conformity to and cooperative engagement with said screw longitudinally directed force is exerted upon said and likeelements, consisting in combination of elements which areprovided with interengaging r and cooperative coupling features as follows; two

ends to be coupled together and a sleeve positionable over the interengag'ed ends-whereby their axial alignment is insured and their interengagement maintainedy'one of said ends' being prOvid- 1 edwith' adownwardly converging, tapered extremity'andabove said tapered portion with an external screw thread'of" greater diameterthan the 'largestdiameter' of said taperedportion, said tapered: portion being provided with a gap extending longitudinally thereinto, the inner, op-

posingwalls of which" gap are transversely parallel and longitudinally, downwardly divergent; also provided upontheir inner faces with a series of alternately positioned lands andflgrooves; the

other of said'ends havin'ganni form diameter which is -"approximat'e ly two-thousandths "of an inch smaller than the extremity of said first mentioned end/this second end being formed into a counterpart tenon so as to be laterally inserted into said gap, said sleeve beingpositionable over the joint thus formed, the bore of'said sleeve being in conformity to and close contact with the external walls of the jaws of said gap and with said external screw thread adjacent thereto, as and for the purposes set forth; the construction of all of the members of said coupling being such that no longitudinally directed force is exerted by said sleeve upon the tenon member of the joint.

3. A coupling organization for rods and the like consisting in the combination of elements provided with features for coupling assembly, namely, two rod ends to be coupled and a sleeve positionable over the resulting joint to maintain said assembly; one of said ends being provided with a tapered portion which converges toward its extremity, also having a gap which extends longitudinally thereinto with its walls disposed in transversely parallel, upwardly converging relation, said walls being provided'with transversely extending grooves and lands; the other of said rod ends having a diameter which is a minute fraction of an inch less than the diameter of the extremity of said first end and formed into a counterpart tenon for lateral insertion into and occupancy of said gap; said sleeve being positionable over said ends when in their assembled relation whereby circumferential compression is exertable upon the periphery of the jaws of said first member, so that they are caused to firmly grip said tenon therebetween and to assure true,

alignment of the coupled members; there being a clearance between the tapered portion of the bore of said sleeve and the adjacent walls of said tenon when said joint is in its coupled relation, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A coupling organization for rods and the like consisting in the combination of elements provided with features" for coupling assembly, namely, two rod ends to becoupled and a sleeve positionable over the resulting joint to maintain said assembly; one of said ends being provided with a tapered portion which converges toward its extremity, also having a gap which extends longitudinally thereinto with its walls disposed in transversely parallel, upwardly converging relation, said walls being provided with transversely extending grooves and lands, there being also an external thread upon said end above and in proximity to the upper end of said gap; the other of said rod ends having a diameter which throughout its length is uniform and is a minute fraction of an inch less than the diameter of the extremity of said first end but is otherwise formed into a counterpart tenon for lateral insertion into and occupancy of said gap; said sleeve being positionable over said ends when in their assembled relation and provided within its upper end with an internal thread for cooperation with said external thread for the actuation of said sleeve in the upward direction, whereby circumferential compression is exertable upon the periphery of the jaws of said first member, so that they are caused to firmly grip said tenon therebetween and to assure true alignment of the coupled members.

5. A coupling organization for rods and the like consisting in the combination of elements having features thereof as follows: the two ends to be coupled by a laterally produced engagement with each other and a sleeve positionable over the joint thus formed whereby said engagement and coupledrelation are maintained; one of said ends being provided with a gap extending longitudinally thereinto and having inwardly converging walls formed into alternate, transversely extending grooves and lands, the external walls of said gap being formed into an upwardly diverging taper; the other of said ends having a uniform diameter throughout its length but is otherwise formed into a counterpart tenon for lateral insertion into the occupany of said gapwhereby the coupled relation of said ends is attained; said sleeve being positionable over the coupled joint thus formed whereby the walls of said gap may be caused to firmly grip said tenon therebetween and also insureand maintain the alignment of the ends so coupled.

6. A coupling organization for rods and the like consisting in the combination of elements having features thereof as follows: the two ends to be coupled by a laterally produced engagement with each other and a sleeve positionable over the joint thus formed whereby said engagement and coupled relation are maintained; one of said ends being provided with a gap extending longitudinally thereinto and having inwardly converging walls formed into alternate, transversely extending grooves and lands, the external walls of said gap being formed into *an upwardly diverging taper, and above said taper into an external screwthread; the other of said ends being of uniform diameter throughout its length but is otherwise formed into a counterpart tenon for lateral insertion into and occupancy of said gap whereby the coupled relation of said ends is attained; said sleeve being positionableover the coupled joint thus formed, the bore of which sleeve conforms to the periphery of the lower portion of said first mentioned end up to and including said screw thread for the stated cooperation therewith, whereby the inner opposing walls of said gap may be caused to firmly grip said tenon andalso insure and maintain the alignment of the ends so coupled, said sleeve being readily removable from said ends.

'7. A coupling organization for rods, shafting and like elements consisting in combination of the two ends of such elements to be coupled and a sleeve positionable over the coupled jointwhereby said coupled relation is maintained; one of said ends being provided with a gap extending longitudinally thereinto, the walls of said gap being disposed in inwardly converging relation and having as features thereof transversely disposed Y joint with the walls of its bore in retentive engagement with the adjacent portions of the walls of said coupled members, said sleeve being readily removable from either of said ends when the joint is disconnected. I

HARRY A. SNYDER. 

